This invention will be described with particular reference to the retrofitting of a drop coin mechanism on a coin-operated machine such as a washer or dryer, in place of the typical coin slide mechanism with which such machines are conventionally provided. For this reason, it is appropriate to discuss the reasons why such retrofitting with a drop coin mechanism is desirable.
Conventional coin slide mechanisms are subject to numerous problems and require maintenance on a regular basis. The coin slide mechanism is one in which a coin, for example a quarter, is placed horizontally into a circular recess in a slide portion with the slide pulled fully out, whereupon the slide is pushed inwardly to carry the coin into the machine where it is discharged through a coin chute into a coin collecting box. If a coin of improper thickness or diameter is placed into the recess, it is not possible to push the slide in. However, because of the construction of the coin slide mechanism, jamming often results. Jamming can result if a slug or foreign coin is placed into the recess, and the user attempts to force the slide inwardly. Similarly, the placing of any foreign object into the recess, and even dirt or paper scraps, can cause jamming.
Jamming for any of these reasons naturally results in "down time" for the machine, and requires servicing. In laundromats or in apartment laundry rooms, the necessity of shutting one or more machines down for servicing represents lost revenue, and is something which the owner or proprietor of the laundry facility would wish to minimize.
There is presently available a mechanism which will be called herein a "drop coin mechanism" and which does not utilize a coin slide which is capable of jamming. Instead, the user simply inserts the appropriate coin (for example a quarter) into the entry slot, and the internal mechanism is able to distinguish a true quarter from slugs or coins of other denominations, any of which are returned through the coin return slot. This mechanism discriminates primarily on the basis of weight and diameter. The mechanism can also incorporate a magnetic means for trapping ferromagnetic coins or slugs in countries where the intended coin is non-magnetic.
Because none of the moving parts of the drop coin mechanism is manipulated by or accessible to the user of the machine, there is no danger of jamming, improper use or vandalism. As a result, if it were possible to readily replace the existing coin slide mechanisms with such drop coin mechanisms in laundromat washers and dryers, normally called "commercial machines", positive gains could be effected in terms of reduced down time and servicing requirements.
In the past, studies have been made by manufacturers of washers and dryers, in an attempt to determine whether a drop coin mechanism could readily be retrofitted to an existing washer or dryer equipped with a coin slide mechanism. However, these studies failed to show that such retrofitting could easily be done, in view of the fact that the vertical dimension of the drop coin mechanism is too great to allow it to be inserted through the opening which remains when the coin slide mechanism has been removed.
Another disadvantage of a slide-equipped commercial washer or dryer relates to the complexity and difficulty of changing the price of operating the machine. In a coin slide mechanism, the slide is normally equipped with from one to three circular recesses for receiving quarters or other coins. All of the recesses must be filled with the appropriate coin in order to allow the slide to be pushed in and initiate operation of the machine. Thus, to change the price of the machine requires changing the entire slide mechanism to one which has a different array of recesses for coins. This alteration is time consuming and costly, and an advantage would result if it could be avoided.